January 07, 2014

The Materials and Techniques of Abstract Expressionism

As you know I've been on an abstract kick lately. I really want to try and figure that whole thing out. It's so foreign to me in so many ways and I'm really struggling to create abstract paintings. So, when I got the e-mail from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) here in New York advertising their new classes, I was thrilled to see a studio (i.e. hands on) class entitled "The Materials and Techniques of Abstract Expressionism."

Here's the class description:

This course leads students in a hands-on examination of the materials and techniques that created some of the 20th century’s greatest paintings. An introductory class covers the basics of preparing a canvas and mixing and applying paint, and each subsequent class focuses on a major artist in MoMA’s collection. Artists examined include Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning. Each week students explore one of these artists through slide lectures and visits to MoMA’s galleries before painting a canvas based on that painter’s work. Combining studio techniques, visual analysis, and art historical insights, this class offers a unique appreciation of how the materiality of paint and the activity of painting affected the development of Abstract Expressionism.

Sounds so perfect, right?! So, of course, I signed up right away and I can't wait for February to be here so that I can begin learning.

The class is taught by Corey D’Augustine. I googled him and he looks like an interesting artist. There's an article about his work here and you check out some of his academic credentials here. I couldn't find a website for him, but I did find some photos of him teaching and one of him painting in a Pollock-esque style:

And here's a photo of a piece of his artwork:

I'm super excited for a new learning opportunity! I'll be sure to share my adventures along the way.

Comments

The Materials and Techniques of Abstract Expressionism

As you know I've been on an abstract kick lately. I really want to try and figure that whole thing out. It's so foreign to me in so many ways and I'm really struggling to create abstract paintings. So, when I got the e-mail from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) here in New York advertising their new classes, I was thrilled to see a studio (i.e. hands on) class entitled "The Materials and Techniques of Abstract Expressionism."

Here's the class description:

This course leads students in a hands-on examination of the materials and techniques that created some of the 20th century’s greatest paintings. An introductory class covers the basics of preparing a canvas and mixing and applying paint, and each subsequent class focuses on a major artist in MoMA’s collection. Artists examined include Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning. Each week students explore one of these artists through slide lectures and visits to MoMA’s galleries before painting a canvas based on that painter’s work. Combining studio techniques, visual analysis, and art historical insights, this class offers a unique appreciation of how the materiality of paint and the activity of painting affected the development of Abstract Expressionism.

Sounds so perfect, right?! So, of course, I signed up right away and I can't wait for February to be here so that I can begin learning.

The class is taught by Corey D’Augustine. I googled him and he looks like an interesting artist. There's an article about his work here and you check out some of his academic credentials here. I couldn't find a website for him, but I did find some photos of him teaching and one of him painting in a Pollock-esque style:

And here's a photo of a piece of his artwork:

I'm super excited for a new learning opportunity! I'll be sure to share my adventures along the way.